I have to let it out this way- this is annoying, and it's an understatement.

I'm particularly interested in the Jackson SLX, and figure that it can be picked up really cheap, possibly at the price of an Ibanez RG350/RGA32 locally. Online sound demos make it sound better than any Ibanez in that price band or a little above- and I never really liked the sound of any Ibanez online or in a shop. So I thought of buying an SLX, with mods planned later on (and my other guitar can be an American Special selling for 10% less).

Then the problem- nobody, and I mean, nobody, stocks a Jackson guitar in India over $400. The only ones they can think of are the JS series and a few discontinued (new-old stock) Japanese models, odd-shaped ones often included. Nobody has the new X-series in stock. If I have to buy one soon, I have to confirm an order on an online retailer, and that will inflate the price of an affordable guitar by 60%- not so affordable- and not value for money, given by owner experiences of inconsistent fit and finish and incomplete setup. It's a decent next-level guitar, but the price inflation (hardcase/shipping/customs) makes it overpriced, hence I would prefer to buy it locally- and I stand to save even more since shipping is no issue at all. However, getting a quote is a problem for the dealer as this unit is not available in the national stock.

How can I save my money while buying one of these?

I can't believe an authorized dealer would have a difficult time ordering standard production stock for a customer.. Perhaps it is in your best interest to find another local Jackson dealer and see if they have a better response.. Sometimes local stores are not all that willing to special order because of the fear of the customer rejecting it and being stuck with the stock..

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Chaos, panic, and disorder.. My work is done here.

The only one who's shown any interest at all is a small-shop owner, and he can't stock it if nobody buys it. He says Jackson stopped selling after a price hike and the arrival of brands with cheaper alternatives. He says he can work out a price only if the distributor provides a quote. The distributor, in turn, told me to check with the dealer for a price. There are no X-series Jacksons in national stock, so working out a price itself is difficult. When a particular brand is practically nonexistent in stores and distributor stocks, you know something is not quite right. Even getting a Fender of my choice has been difficult.

In fact, price lists still list those Chushin Gakki era Jacksons as current products, and think all non-USA Soloists are still made in Japan!

Difficult to believe that local reps can't fill the bill, mostly noting how close you are to the actual manufacturing facility.. It's amazingly frightening what can happen to kill a sale.. Perhaps you could find a dealer in a bordering country or somewhere relatively close to help you on your quest..

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Chaos, panic, and disorder.. My work is done here.

Had this been a Mexican Fender or a used Japanese Jackson, I would have ordered from abroad and used a forwarding agency. I'm not keen on doing that for this item, as I stand to save a lot of money on shipping (and duties/taxes on shipping) by buying from a shop. When shops don't want to stock this product, it is rather disappointing.

I have already sent price request email to the national distributor four days before and listed this product's model number/part number, the MSRP as well as country of origin. They have not yet prepared a quote. I had contacted the factory, but they say they cannot build this model for the domestic market, even under their own banner. I have even emailed Jackson's consumer relations department asking for assistance, and there's been no reply.

The few traders and associates who know me tell me to avoid Jackson altogether, and opt for ESP/Ibanez/Schecter/Dean instead. But I'd like a quote on the SLX, at the very least.

An email came to me from the local distributor (prompted by the consumer relations manager of FMIC/Jackson) with a rather disappointing note- the cost actually works out to be more than or at least as much as what I would pay if I imported alone (without the hardshell case), so I'd end up saving nothing by buying from the retailer, and end up overpaying for the guitar. The quote provided for a guitar built (technical issues notwithstanding) within the geographical boundaries of India is just too high.

I had also contacted the factory that builds these guitars, who told me they cannot sell the SLX in India, even under the HMI name, and may have to build a modified 'custom' guitar to those specs. Later on, another executive called back to inquire about my preferred guitar. Maybe they'll make it, but it won't be a Jackson, and they might end up with something different.

dude, that totally sucks, you'd figured you get a huge break from all of these resources--well, just keep trying, something's bound to turn up

I agree.. Can't believe they are building a product that they can't sell within their own borders.. Looks like if you want that Jackson logo on it, you'll have to find one that won't be too complicated to import to your homeland.. Sorry to see that this has to be so difficult for you, but your tenacity is admirable, and I wish you luck.. Keep us informed..

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Chaos, panic, and disorder.. My work is done here.

The only Jacksons made in that factory that sell here are those JS-series guitars, and I know I don't want one of those. The disappointing thing here is that the availability of models depends on the sales trends, but I feel somehow, Jackson is simply not promoted as much as ESP/Ibanez (ask a JCF member for an opinion on them) in our country, and the official FMIC dealer also deals in Seymour Duncan and Ibanez.

Meanwhile, another day, another phone call- the last email left behind another phone number to contact for checking available Jackson/Fender guitars in India. That man told me to email the requirements to the email address provided- which I had done in the last week of November. Maybe he'll provide a quote this evening.